Scouting Ahead, Part 6: The Road to Rivendell

[ArPharazon]

Calion:

As dusk faded into night and the party made camp, Calion glanced to the East, to Mirkwood. They had come quite a way, and the view was beautiful; many of the trees in the far distance were still under daylight, but the shadow of the mountains advanced rapidly. Tomorrow they would go into the pass and out of sight, and he cherished the view on his beloved forest. It was not out of trouble yet, but it would have to survive without him; he had his duties, both to his kingdom and his family.

Turning to the north, the mountains were already tucked away in the night. Somewhere there his brother must have gone, reinforced by anything that could be living up there. Finding and redeeming him would be difficult indeed, but Calion knew that if there was a way, he would not rest before it was found. Corruption by the shadow was not without cure, as his past companion had already shown. But possession? Who could know? Maybe the libraries in Rivendell could provide more information. Turning to the west, he stared up briefly at the mountains, and then made his way to the fire to aid in the preparation of a meal.

---

Later that night, a rustle went through the bushes just south of the path through Mirkwood. Swiftly, a troop of creatures, perhaps two dozen or more, broke out of the black green, and crossed to the northern side. Strong and intelligent, swift but miraculously uncommanded by the darkness, they searched around the scenes of battle. They were determined to find their target, but starving, and not beyond the devouring of what Orcish and spider-corpses were left behind and not removed by the Elvish patrols after the battle, on their way to the clearing.

Their leader was more determined to find the prey than any in its pack. It had witnessed first-hand the power of the Shadow, and had discovered a release from it, and through it, had released many others of its kind. And it would release even more as they made their way northwest, bolstering their forces.

As quick and invisible as shadows they bounded through the forest. They went not unnoticed to some of the Elves in the area, but were left alone; the Silvans sensed no taint on them, and likely perceived them to be simply a group of wild animals, indigenous to Mirkwood, or even perceived the good of their intentions. Heading straight to the clearing, they had now finally picked up the scent they were looking for. Feasting on the roasted remains of Orcs and beasts, their former allies, they halted for a while, glancing and making sounds at the moon peeking out of the trees around the clearing. Before the night was gone they resumed their journey, chasing the sorcerer to the Northwest, towards Angmar, seeking revenge and salvation for their kindred lost.

[Indis]

Meren:

Meren's mind filled more and more with anticipation of fabled Imladris and its wonders, not least the scholarly ones. At the same time, she did not let her attention wander too far, for though this time was a welcome break from the tensions of traveling in Mirkwood, in a darkening world danger could appear at any time.

She welcomed the 'military' exercises, especially appreciating the opportunity for their party to learn better how to work together smoothly. In fact, one evening she suggested some scenarios to Fainan that might make their training activities both more demanding and more exciting.

For example, she suggested that while the group was 'fighting' one foe, one of the group (possibly Meren herself) could call out that he or she had spotted another approaching. How would the group manage to divide its forces and yet coordinate the subgroups?

Imagining the scenarios was helpful to her in another way: how would she bring her skills into best use in each situation? What role would she most usefully play in each? In the instance above, for example, should she continue to fight the original foe, or should she help hinder the arrival of the new one? In the latter case, which of her more exotic arsenal would she want as options, or would her bow suffice?

In this vein, she watched for useful herbs or for new ones about which she wanted to learn. On rare occasion, she would ask the group to halt briefly while she replenished and enhanced her supplies.

Thoughts of Imladris and of tactics did not prevent her from learning better to communicate with Duroch, with whom her bond was increasingly deep. The long trek was proving an opportunity for another kind of scholarship: enhancing her ability to listen to and "talk" with creatures who did not speak in the tongues of the Children of Iluvatar.

Finally, she looked for an opportunity to get to know Frali better. She knew little of the Gonhirrim other than what the books and hearsay had given her, and her ever-lively curiosity impelled her to learn more about and from the likeable young dwarf. So one night after they had made camp and settled down after their meal, she walked over to Frali and began a conversation with him:

"Master Frali, I was most impressed with your bravery and skill with your weapon during our passage through my home forest. How did you gain such skill?"

[arienv]

Frali:

Although the young dwarf had gotten used to spending hours in the saddle he was relieved as Auros finally called a halt for the day. Bowing he handed the pony to Meren who unsaddled and prepared the pony for the night. Frali wondered whether he shouldnt learn how to do the basic tasks of caring for a pony , but he was still slightly uncomfortable of spending time unmounted near his mount. He was a warrior and not an animal handler.

Sighingly he settled near a campfire and looked up to Meren who approached him in a conversational tone, making him blush with her praise.

"You do me honour, Lady Meren, in acknowledging the tools of a workmen", he answered slightly embarassed. "But the truth is simple .. I grew up in the area round Mount Erebor which was ever under threat of orc attacks even after the Battle of the Five Armies was won and the Dragon was slain. Also those spiders which we encountered earlier on our travels are no strangers to me . As soon as i was old enough to hold an axe and a sword i joined my fellow dwarves patrolling the surrounding area and the adjoining stretches of Mirkwood. Sometimes it were the patrol leaders who taught us youngsters the basics before we took up duty. I was lucky enough to have a good friend i could practise with and sometimes my kinsman Gimli would come and join us and point out some finesses."

Frali smiled a bit melancholically as he remembered the training sessions with Cori and Gimli, sometimes Nari would join them , but those days were gone now and Cori joined with the ancestors.

Biting back the dark mood that wanted to overcome him, Frali turned to Meren once more and shrugged humbly. "After that it was simply practise, soon more than just rocks or sparring rounds. One learns in this profession .. , or pays the the eternal price."

[Indis]

Meren

Meren nodded gravely. "It is not so different in our forests. We must be ever alert, for danger can come unseen and on silent feet. Our senses are keen, but we cannot watch every branch or stream. So all of us must learn at least the basics of self-defense and how to fight, and those who make a vocation of the military arts gain a high level of skill, especially with the bow, but by no means is the blade neglected. Of late, we have lost all too many of our number as the woods darken under the influence of the tainted south."

Suddenly Meren shivered for a moment. Something unwholesome was nearby, and it was coming from Frali's vicinity. She looked more closely at the dwarf and noticed a different weapon from before. Was it an orc sword? It was! Feeling a bit sick, she reached out to put her hand nearer the sword. Yes, the bad smell--for that was how she thought of it--was coming from that sword.

"Frali, is that sword a new weapon? Where did you get it? There's something.....odd...about it."

[arienv]

Frali:

At first the young dwarf looked surprised that Meren seemed to change the topic rather apruptly - well at least swords had to do with fighting, he had to admit that.

Then , slightly annoyed that anyone else would be interested in His weapon, especially a non-fighter, Frali looked at the crooked sword that hung at his hip. Slowly he reached for it and rubbed away some dust that had settled in some oddly shaped crevices.

"I become careless .. dust and dirt on a sword handle can be fatal, " the young warrior rumbled. He removed the weapon from its sheath and took out a soft cloth on which he put some cleansing oil he carried always with him for just such occasions.

Momentarily distracted Frali almost forgot about the question but remembered in time. "I picked it up at the river where we had our little dance with the orcs after the crossing, Lady Meren. I dont know why it should concern you but in fact i was given it by this other elf."

He looked searchingly around the group and pointed at Calaron. Then he added : "But Estarion found it ."

[Indis]

Meren

Meren nodded thanks for the answer and smiled at the young dwarf. She sensed that he was irritated by the question, but she also felt even more that she should find out more about that sword. "So it probably came from one of the orcs at our little party..." As Frali was cleaning and polishing the sword, she spotted some shadows on the blade...not random shadows, either. If anyone would recognize writing, she would.

"It looks very strong and would suit one of your prowess indeed.....but...." She hesitated to be pushy, but this kind of thing *was* her business. It was for her knowledge that she had come along.

"I believe you know that although I'm not a professional fighter, I was brought along on this expedition for a purpose...." Again she hesitated. "I have knowledge about some of the things we are likely to encounter that go beyond the stone and wood we live with daily..... She groped for the right words: "And sometimes I can sense the presence of such things before they have a chance to do us damage...." She gazed at Frali in as friendly and disarming a way as she could. "Forgive me, but there's something about that sword that is arousing my ...um...professional interest. Might I take a look at it?"

[arienv]

Frali:

Frali himself looked rather surprised at the crude lines that now were clearly recognisable along the blade. Only slowly the sense of what Meren had said sickered into his conciousness.

"It is a weapon a sword, a simple sword and i was taught to let no stranger handle and temper with my weapon", Frali managed to answer halfwise politely.

He ran his fingers carefully along the etchings and felt a shiver along his body and suddenly became afraid. The young dwarf twisted his face into a rather mishappen smile and passed the blade with the handle first to Meren.

While doing so he murmured .. "Something is not right here .. "

[Indis]

Meren

"Thank you, my friend. Yes, something is quite definitely not right. In fact, it's quite definitely wrong." She put down the sword and pulled a piece of leather out of her pack. Carefully holding the sword in the leather so it would not touch her hands, she turned it this way and that, attempting to make out the runes on it. If she hadn't needed to use her hands to manipulate the sword, she would have held her nose--that was how bad the sword smelled to her senses up close.

"I don't like this at all! With your permission, I would like to show the sword and the runes on it to our traveling companions," she said, rising from her seat. "I'll arrange for another good, strong weapon for you, as I think we should have as little to do with this one as we can."

Fortunately Fainan was nearby and seemed to be watching Meren's interaction with Frali. The scholar walked over to the hunter with a worried look on her face. "Lady Fainan, I fear we have not exactly left the enemy behind. Frali has been carrying this orc sword, and it has a very very bad smell. He has let me take a look at it, and there are runes inscribed on it....and they are in Black Speech. To the degree I can read it, it looks like a curse."

Still holding the sword in the leather, she extended it to Fainan so she could look at it. "Perhaps we should consult with everyone in our company--they deserve to know what we have brought with us and help decide what to do about it."

[Varda]

Fainan:

Fainan had slipped into reverie after placing more wood on the fire, the pleasant mesquite smell bringing memories of long-lost friends and shared food. Something jarred her out of the state and she looked around without trying to make it obvious; whatever it was had to be close.

She could find nothing amiss, yet the sense of unease remained. She followed Calion's attention, but the only thing going on was that Meren and Frali seemed to be having a conversation over an orc weapon that Estarion had scavenged for Frali. The orc weapon! The two were discussing it in hushed tones and seemed slightly agitated. That was it. Something had awakened the darkness in the ugly little sword.

How strange! Normally the presence of elves was enough to cause minor darkness to go dormant. This must not be so minor.

Meren approached with the thing and offered to show it to her. Fainan scooched back a bit, putting one hand up in refusal of touching even the covering, probably enough to protect a lore-master, but perhaps not a mere scout like herself.

"That's very interesting," Fainan said, trying to keep her voice natural. "Whatever it is seems to be stirring now. It feels all too much like the new darkness that reinforced the mirk we already fought in our home forest."

She shivered. "Calion, it may have a tie to that thing possessing your brother. You are our tie to the monster since you are related. Can you perhaps gain a sense of direction from this? Maybe we can track the creature with it, after we report to Rivendell. I wonder if the darkness is also used to track minions, maybe alerting their leader of the whereabouts of its minions. Maybe it could be a key into his area."

With the faintest of whispers so as not to be overheard and misunderstood by the only friendly dwarf she had ever known, Fainan asked Meren, "Has it affected Frali? If so, can we help him?"

[Indis]

Meren

"I think it may have, for he was oddly reluctant to let me see the weapon, but after I asked directly to take a look at it, justifying it as a 'professional' request, he turned it over to me and remarked that something was not right here." She glanced at Frali, who was watching her interaction with Fainan. "I've promised him another suitable weapon to replace the orc sword, and he seemed satisfied, but I'll find an opportunity to resume my conversation with him soon. After all, I do want to get to know him better, and I'm curious about the Gonhirrim." She smiled and winked at Frali, attempting to let him know that all was well.

"I do think though that we need to bring this to Auros' attention, as well as the rest of our companions. I would like to consult with Auros about whether it would be permitted to bring this thing to Imladris, so I may examine it in more depth with Master Elrond's lore-masters. If you will alert Auros, I'll go back to reassure Frali that all is well....and keep an eye on his mental state."

[Varda]

Fainan:

She hated to disturb Auros from his reverie, as it seemed so long since he had rested, but Fainan did so gently.

[ArPharazon]

Calion:

He had been watching the situation warily, and nodded to Fainan, indicating that he would study the sword. As she and Meren went off to talk to Auros and Frali, Calion looked at the blade before him.

Reaching to it and hovering his fingers over the runes, he shuddered; for a moment, the gust of shadow came back to him, that his brother had thrown at him at their last meeting. The same kind of power lay in those runes. He stared closer at them. They were written in the Black Speech, of which he had no knowledge, but he felt there was another reason to study them. There was something in them of their maker. Not the one who inscribed the runes, for a scout's sword was obviously produced in bulk, but the maker of the sorcery, the one who made the runes work.

They seemed alive, somehow. Standing out, seemingly moving slightly across the blade, without visibly changing location or shape. Searching for their master? Calion shook off the thought, perhaps it was just his imagination. But yet... if there was a more direct connection between the sword and the sorcerer, however faint, he might be tracking the party through it. Sensing when they came near, or even in what region they were travelling at any given time, as Fainan had already cleverly suggested. It wouldn't be strong, but enough to cost them the element of surprise, when the time came to find him.

It would likely be safer kept or destroyed in Rivendell, unless the loremasters there knew of a way to reverse the connection, to track the sorcerer instead. For now, though, it would be best if Auros looked at it, for he might know something of the runes' meaning. So Calion sat back, guarding the sword and waiting until Fainan had spoken with Auros.

[Eonwë]

Auros:

Auros stood silently atop a hill, not far from the camp. The land lay bathed in shadows now, and only the keenest eyes would pick out at a distance the silhouette of an Elf against the towering backdrop of the Hithaeglir. A gentle wind rolled over the hills as he scanned the landscape for anything unusual.

Fainan came up to him, and he descended the hill as he listened to her. “I should like to see this sword for myself,” he said, walking towards Calion. As he reached for the sword, he hesitated a moment before taking it. He placed his hand upon the hilt, pulling it away from the leather wrapping. He turned the blade this way and that, examining the edge of the blade, the hilt, and the back, as well as the runes.

“This sword is older than the more prominent runes inscribed upon it. It is of the style used by the orcs of the northern Hithaeglir. How it came into the hands of those native to Mirkwood is anyone’s guess. I am not unfamiliar with the Black Speech, and I have some knowledge of the language of orcs, such as they use. These runes look far too intricate to have been inscribed by an orc.” What else the Noldo thought, he did not share.

As he wrapped the sword once again in the leather, Auros sighed. “We cannot leave this behind, to be found by the next passerby, whether he be friend or foe. It must be taken to Imladris and properly disposed of. The smiths of Imladris will likely take an interest as well as the loremasters.”

Calling Meren over from Frali, Auros now spoke in Sindarin rather than Westron. “I am giving you charge of this weapon. Do not give the sword back to the Dwarf. He has obviously borne it too long already. Keep it wrapped and put it away. Do not leave it alone, and do not handle it more than you must.”

[Indis]

Meren

With a feeling of relief, Meren yielded the sword and returned to let Frali know what was happening and to give him a sturdy weapon she had taken from the few spare items the party had. As she described the thinking of those who had seen the sword to the dwarf, she could see out of the corner of her eye how Fainan approached Auros and how he, in turn, made his way to Calion. She hoped she was able to reassure Frali that the orc sword would be well taken care of and in a way to assure the safety of all the travelers. She also mentioned that she would try to ensure that he had an opportunity to investigate the blades forged by the skilled smiths of Imladris.

While she was in conversation with Frali, she continued to keep an eye on the actions and listen to the dialogue of those examining the orc weapon. The more she heard, and the more she saw of body language and facial expression, the happier she was that the blade's menace had been discovered no later.

When Auros finally called her over, she did not know quite what to expect. Perhaps the proud Noldo would blame her--either for not finding out about the weapon and its runes sooner, or for learning of it and burdening the company with it. Or perhaps he might have questions; she hoped she would be able to answer them if asked. What she did not expect was to be given charge of the thing, and it was with some dismay that she took it, though she hoped her feelings were hidden.

"Yes, of course I will look after it and do all I can to keep it safe--and us safe from it. Naturally I would welcome any further information about it that you can tell me." She bowed politely and paused for a moment to see if there was anything else the Noldo wished to add or ask. As she waited for a response, she made plans to find some time communing with her books to research what she could about the inscription and history of such weapons.

[arienv]

Frali:

The young dwarf watched the Elves with mixed feelings as they examined and discussed his sword - His sword. Frali growled almost inaudibly as he cursed himself for letting his fellow travellers take the sword from him so easily. Hadn't Nori and Cori drummed it often enough into his head not to let strangers handle the weapons one fought with?

With a rather crumpled smile he accepted the weapon Meren handed to him and thought secretly how to go about getting his sword back. For the moment Frali had to play the timid dwarf a bit longer as they were too many for him who had hold of the sword at the moment.

But in time, there would be hopefully an occasion where he could take repossession of the sword given to him by Estarion - contempteous though it might have been. One thing however was sure, it would have to be before they reached Imladris, else it would be forever out of reach for him.